London, Diagon Alley, September 12th, 1999, 11.45 hours

"So… what happened in the Department of Mysteries?" Luna leaned forward, towards Hermione, uncaring that she just barely manage to avoid pushing her robe into her meal.

"It's an ongoing investigation," the Wand-Leader answered reflexively. "I can't talk about it."

"Of course, sorry I asked." Luna smiled. "So… let's talk about what didn't happen in there!"

Hermione sighed. "Luna…"

Her blonde friend pouted. "But the Ministry already released the official statement: It was a tragic accident during an experiment. So, logically, that means that the investigation has already been concluded!"

Hermione rubbed her forehead, ignoring her own meal for a moment, glad she habitually cast a privacy spell when eating with Luna. "You know that's not the truth."

"Of course it's not the truth!" Luna exclaimed. "Not even you would be that quick. But it means that officially, the matter has been settled! At least as far as we civilians are concerned. Which means you can talk to me about it! About what hasn't happened, I mean."

Hermione thought Luna sounded a bit off, then closed her eyes when she realised what her friend had to be thinking. She patted the blonde's hand. "It wasn't that kind of accident, Luna. It wasn't spell research."

Luna bit her lower lip while she slowly nodded. "I was just thinking about Mum, you know."

Hermione smiled. "I know. It also wasn't an attack by the half-naga."

"Albino half-naga," Luna corrected her. She sighed. "It's a bit of a relief, you know? To see that even in the Department of Mysteries, accidents do happen. Some people said my mum would still be alive, if she had been working there."

Hermione nodded. The other witch had left unsaid that people also said that her mother would have joined the Unspeakables, if she hadn't had Luna. "Accidents happen everywhere." As did attacks and acts of sabotage.

Luna sighed. "The Minister himself told daddy about the accident. She had been working on a new spell for him, and it didn't go well. He later revealed that she had helped him prepare for his confrontation with the Dark Lord. Said Mum was a hero."

Hermione had heard that story often. She now knew that at least part of the story had been a lie; the Dark Lord was still alive. She didn't say so, though. She held Luna's hand instead, and smiled, and listened while her friend told her about her mother.

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London, Diagon Alley, September 12th, 1999, 19.34 hours

"I was thinking, with Dean convinced, we could contact Wand-Leader Benjamin and Wand-Commander Sarah. If they believe me, then we could have a shot at turning the entire Corps before Malfoy notices.

"You know we can't really plan anything without Dumbledore," Ron Weasley said to his girlfriend. They had just finished eating in his room.

Hermione froze for a second in the middle of vanishing their take-out boxes, then sighed. "I know. I just… "

"You just hate how your friends believe in Malfoy and fight and bleed for him," Ron finished for her.

She frowned. "Yes. And how we might be forced to fight them."

"I doubt we'll have to do that. Once Malfoy is dead, and the Dark Lord is dead, we'll have enough time to sort things out peacefully. There's no one poised to succeed Malfoy." At least Ron thought that this was Dumbledore's plan.

"Draco and Mrs Malfoy might attempt to take over. They have the best claim."

"Do you think the Wands will follow them?"

Hermione bit her lower lip. "I don't know… Draco is questionable. He hasn't really impressed anyone. At least not in a good way."

Ron frowned. "How so?" According to Luna, the git had been using the Wands as his personal harem.

"We don't really talk about that with the rest of the Corps." Hermione looked down. Ron assumed she meant the group of witches Draco preyed on.

"Ah." He didn't want to press further. He really wanted to kill Draco. Painfully and slowly.

"And Mrs Malfoy… she isn't really loved. She is always rather aloof, distant." Hermione sat down on the bed. "But they are the son and wife of the Minister. If he dies, many will support them, just because there is no one else."

"Well, looks like they'll have to die as well then," Ron said. With them gone, they could contact the Wands directly.

Hermione hesitated, then nodded. "I guess so. Or they might send Wands to die pointlessly." She sighed. "But if the Minister dies before we expose his lies, then some will keep believing in him. Make him a martyr even."

"Dumbledore might have a plan for that too."

Hermione looked at him. "You put a lot of trust in him."

"Of course. He's the greatest wizard of our time," Ron said.

"That doesn't make him perfect though. He was beaten by Malfoy once already."

Ron's first impulse was to explain that things had changed. That Dumbledore knew what he was doing. "You don't trust him."

"Not that much. I doubt he really cares about the Wands. Not many do. Even those we protect don't like us, so why would someone fighting the Minister really care about us?"

She looked rather lost, so Ron pulled her into his arms. "Trust me, he does care."

He didn't think he would be able to convince her of that though. Hopefully the Professor would be able to.

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Beauxbatons, France, September 13th, 1999, 18.07 hours

Albus Dumbledore looked at the letter he had just received. It was just as Severus had told him - a note supposedly from an Unspeakable, warning him of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes. As proof part of the diary Lucius had destroyed had been sent with it. Even forewarned, he had checked the letter for curses, poison and other threats - it wouldn't do to become careless when things were going so well.

Albus briefly wondered if he would have been deceived by the letter, had he received it without knowing what he did. Would he have reacted like Lucius hoped he would, moving against Tom? Probably, he had to admit to himself. Though he also thought he would have acted with careful planning, not the rash action Lucius obviously hoped for.

Although if Lucius expected him to react in a rash manner, then that could be exploited. If the British Ministry thought he was moving against Voldemort, then they might order the Wands not to interfere with certain operations. This could be useful.

He had other issues to ponder though. Like the unfortunate revelation of Wand-Leader Hermione's knowledge about her and the other Wands' past to her coworker. Dean. She had the presence of mind not to mention Albus's involvement, but Ron's security was now compromised.

Removing Dean's memories was a possibility, but he might have expected that, and taken precautions. Which Legilimency would reveal, unless the young man had been so clever as to have the knowledge that he had taken such precautions obliviated, and had left a letter explaining where he'd find it. He had known agents in the past who had used such measures. But he doubted Dean would think of such a ploy, and he'd need another Wand to obliviate him. Still, memory modification was not perfect.

Albus could have Dean kidnapped and held until the war was over. A rather drastic solution, but it would remove the danger of his mind getting read. But at the same time, careful planning would be needed, and his apparent disappearance still might throw suspicion on Hermione, leading to an investigation endangering her.

He could remove Lucius, of course. Severus could easily kill him. With the Minister gone, the threat of him reading Dean's thoughts was gone as well. It would also prompt Tom to move against the Ministry, though, which would be in disarray and vulnerable. Albus and his friends might be forced to intervene to prevent the Dark Lord from winning, and they were not yet ready for such an operation.

Which left Albus with waiting, and hoping that Voldemort's Horcruxes were dealt with before Hermione's friend compromised her actions. It wasn't his favourite option, but it was the best he had - or rather, the one with the smallest risk of failure. And not likely to pit the Wand-Leader's love to young Mister Weasley against her loyalty to her friend.

Which was, he knew, a growing problem. Any fool could see that exposing the lies of Lucius to the Wands to turn them against him would not be easy at all. People seldom wanted to hear disturbing truths, and the Wands had been indoctrinated from birth. Many would dismiss the evidence as faked and Hermione and Dean as having been memory charmed or imperiused.

Albus didn't think that Hermione and Dean would have accepted her findings, had they not been trained as investigators who were used to questioning everything. The rank and file of the Wands? He was certain they were trained not to question orders from the Minister. Some would believe her, of course, but not enough.

No, it was best to kill Lucius before trying to convert the Wands, even though this would make it more difficult to make them see the truth. It would make Lucius a martyr, many would see any revelations as baseless slandering of a dead man. Albus would also have to proceed with a lot of caution, to prevent the Wands from rallying against him, or be rallied by another pureblood trying to follow Lucius's example. If they could interrogate Cornelius and the Obliviators, check themselves for signs of manipulation, they might be convinced of the truth. It shouldn't be too difficult to set them on investigating the Obliviators either, but to do it so they wouldn't expect a setup was trickier.

Overall, the odds of the Wands ending up split, even fighting each other, would still be high.

The old wizard hoped Hermione would see this as well.

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London, Ministry of Magic, September 13th, 1999, 19.12 hours

"Sir? Wand-Leader Jane is here to speak to you."

Lucius Malfoy, Minister for Magic, looked up from his desk at the interruption. His secretary looked slightly nervous. But Wand-Leader Jane was the one leading the security detail for Narcissa this week, and she wouldn't disturb him unless it was important.

"Send her in, please."

The mudblood entered and saluted.

"Good evening, Wand-Leader. What happened?"

"Your wife received a letter from her sister, sir."

His eyes widened just a bit. Had Dumbledore received his fake notice, and was now contacting him through Narcissa's sister, Andromeda? Had his plan worked far better than he had dared to hope? That would be very good news.

"Her sister Bellatrix Lestrange, sir."

"What?" Not Andromeda? Only long habit and experience kept him from showing his surprise more.

"The letter has been thoroughly checked for curses and other threats, and was deemed safe."

They wouldn't divulge the contents unless he asked. He could show his trust in his wife's loyalty. But it would be quite the risk. He nodded. "You have a copy, I assume."

"Yes, sir." Jane handed a letter over. He read it quickly.

Dear Narcissa

By now you are aware that the Dark Lord has returned to us. He is more powerful and mighty than ever! He has conquered death itself! To be in his presence is to bask in his glory!

You should also be aware now that to stand against him is foolish beyond belief. Mudbloods and traitors cannot stand against him. Not even the heart of the Ministry is a safe place. Those who betrayed their lord and master will suffer as they deserve.

But while your husband has doomed himself by his treason, you do not have to share his inevitable fate. You are still my sister, my blood. If you abandon your traitorous spouse, the Dark Lord will show you and your son mercy. You are of noble blood.

I urge you to think about your family, and do the right thing. I would hate to lose the last members of my family because they decided to support a traitor in his suicidal attempt to defy the Dark Lord. Should you continue with this folly, I cannot guarantee your life, much less the life of Draco.

Your loving sister

Bellatrix

"Interesting. Thank you, Wand-Leader. Please forget that this letter was delivered today."

"Yes, sir." They would obliviate themselves of the knowledge, he knew.

He pondered the letter. Bellatrix was lying, obviously. The question was, did Narcissa realise that, or would she be fooled by nostalgia and love for her sister?

He believed she'd stay loyal. She knew how unstable her sister was. It was a miracle Bellatrix had managed to resurrect the Dark Lord, in Lucius's opinion, given her lack of patience and self-control. But Lucius couldn't be certain. Narcissa had one weakness, and that was Draco. If she thought it would save her son, she'd do anything, betray anyone. Even Lucius.

He couldn't take the risk. He had to ensure Narcissa's loyalty. And there was one way.

He flicked his wand and hit the enchanted bell on his desk, summoning Daphne.

"You called, sir?"

"Yes. Send for Draco."

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London, Diagon Alley, September 13th, 1999, 20.30 hours

Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the fireplace in his home's entrance hall, followed by Draco.

"Mother!" his son called out, his excitement obvious. "I've great news!"

"Draco!" Narcissa hugged her son, though her smile vanished when she looked at Lucius over Draco's shoulder, suspicion evident on her face.

"I'm about to lead a special team in the search for the half-naga!" Draco said. "Father said it was time for me to prove myself!"

Narcissa froze for a moment. "That's wonderful, Draco. I'm so proud!" she managed to say with a smile. "You can tell me all about it during dinner; I have to speak to your father for a second about a letter I received today."

Draco nodded, and went to his room. Narcissa's smile vanished as soon as he had turned away, and she glared at Lucius.

He met her eyes unflinchingly and gestured to the study.

Lucius had barely closed the door, cutting off the sound from the hall, when she rounded on him.

"How could you!" She was trembling with rage.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "How could I do what? Offer my son the chance to prove that he's my successor? To impress the Ministry, and more importantly, the Wands?"

"How could you send him against the Dark Lord! Draco doesn't even know it's him, returned from the dead!" Narcissa screeched.

And some people thought the Malfoys had Veela ancestry, Lucius thought, before focusing on his wife. "You sound as if you have no faith in the Ministry forces."

Narcissa drew a hissing breath. "You know about the letter I received."

It wasn't a question. "Of course."

"So why would you send him out… Merlin! You want him to declare himself the Dark Lord's enemy!" She gaped at him.

"He already is the Dark Lord's enemy. You know how the Dark Lord was, you know how your sister was. They will not spare him, he is my heir. If I fall, then he will be next, unless the Dark Lord is killed," Lucius said.

"How can you kill a wizard who has come back from death once already?" She had tears in her eyes. "With Augustus gone, even!"

"Augustus might be gone, but there's another who will be able to destroy the Dark Lord," Lucius said.

"Who? There is no one able to face him, other than…"

He nodded. "Dumbledore now knows about the Dark Lord's way to cheat death. He's an old man, so he will do all he can to destroy the Dark Lord for good, before he succumbs to old age."

"You are planning to beat a troll in your house by luring a manticore inside!" Narcissa accused him.

"Dumbledore is nothing like a mad beast." Unlike the Dark Lord. "Do you honestly think he will attack us, knowing it would plunge Britain into a war? A war of which the cost would be paid with the blood of mudbloods?"

His wife blinked.

"He will not attack, not as long as attacking us would mean attacking mudbloods," Lucius said.

"Merlin… they're like hostages." Narcissa said, apparently finally appreciating his reasoning. "But he'll try to turn them against us."

"He can try." Lucius scoffed. "They are not under any spell. They are loyal because they were lovingly raised to be loyal. Who will they believe, an exiled traitor, or the man who has been like a father to them for decades?"

Narcissa slowly nodded, no doubt now regretting her lapse in faith in him. He had to forgive her - she was simply too emotional, and not rational enough.

"But Draco will still be in danger!"

"He won't be in any greater danger than he already is. He'll be surrounded by Wands ready to lay down their life for him." And most of the planning would be done in the Ministry or other safe places.

"I want the best Wands to protect him. The very best!"

"Of course, dear." Lucius would be a fool to trust the safety of his heir to anyone but his best Wands.

Narcissa nodded. She had already calmed down, and her face didn't betray her earlier outburst anymore. She was a true pureblood witch.

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"I want Hermione!" Draco declared at the table.

"What?" Narcissa actually flinched at her son's statement, Lucius noted with well-hidden amusement.

"Hermione. If I'm to hunt this monster, then I need the best Wands at my disposal. And she's the best in the Investigative Branch."

"Ah, of course, Draco." Lucius's wife was smiling again.

"And if she's in my group, I'll be able to seduce her easily!"

Narcissa flinched again.